The Na­tion­al Trade Union Cen­tre (NATUC) is claim­ing that many em­ploy­ees in the pri­vate sec­tor are at risk of los­ing their jobs be­cause of their COVID-19 vac­ci­na­tion sta­tus.

An of­fi­cial state­ment is­sued by the union body to­day states:

“The Na­tion­al Trade Union Cen­tre (NATUC) has been in­un­dat­ed by calls from em­ploy­ees in the pri­vate sec­tor who are fac­ing dis­missal or non-re­new­al of con­tracts based on their COVID-19 vac­ci­na­tion sta­tus.  NATUC wish­es to in­form all af­fect­ed em­ploy­ees that there is no leg­isla­tive frame­work for COVID-19 vac­ci­na­tion as a pre-con­di­tion for em­ploy­ment.”

Ac­cord­ing to NATUC, em­ploy­ers can­not do this to their em­ploy­ees.

“Non-re­new­al of em­ploy­ment con­tracts on the ba­sis of an em­ploy­ee's vac­ci­na­tion sta­tus is tan­ta­mount to vac­cine co­er­cion. An em­ploy­ee's COVID-19 vac­ci­na­tion sta­tus is not a jus­ti­fi­able con­cern to the em­ploy­er or any oth­er non-med­ical en­ti­ty.”

NATUC al­so not­ed:

“The Gov­ern­ment of Trinidad and To­ba­go has re­moved the "Safe Zone" pro­vi­sion un­der the Pub­lic Health Reg­u­la­tions. De­c­la­ra­tion of COVID-19 vac­cine sta­tus is not re­quired for par­tic­i­pa­tion in pub­lic life, trav­el, work or leisure.”

NATUC says it is pre­pared to rep­re­sent any em­ploy­ee fac­ing

I) vac­cine based dis­crim­i­na­tion in hir­ing;

II) where COVID-19 vac­ci­na­tion is be­ing en­forced as a con­di­tion of con­tin­ued em­ploy­ment; or

III) where vac­ci­na­tion is now ap­pend­ed as a con­di­tion for the re­new­al of an ex­pired con­tract of em­ploy­ment.

The union body is en­cour­ag­ing any em­ploy­ees en­coun­ter­ing such sit­u­a­tions to con­tact +1 (868) 727-6332; or email natuctt@gmail.com